Taxi hits pedestrians in Moscow amid World Cup festivities

A taxi driver was detained after hitting pedestrians in central Moscow on Saturday.

Taxi hits pedestrians in Moscow amid World Cup festivities

A taxi driver was detained after hitting pedestrians in central Moscow on Saturday.

(CNN) — A taxi plowed into a crowd of pedestrians Saturday in central Moscow, injuring seven people, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Video published by state-run Sputnik news agency showed a taxi in slow traffic accelerating suddenly and veering sharply onto the curb, hitting pedestrians. The video showed the driver jumping out of the car and running across the street before being apprehended.

The incident occurred near Gostiny Dvor, a business and exhibition center near Red Square, where visitors have gathered amid World Cup festivities.

The report, which cited emergency services, said the vehicle crashed into a traffic sign, then drove into the crowd on Ilyinka Street.

It’s not clear how badly injured the victims were, TASS said. At least five emergency vehicles were at the scene, Moscow police said. The Mexican Embassy in Moscow said on Twitter that two Mexican citizens were among the injured.

Police said they have detained the driver, saying the person apparently lost control of the vehicle.

“The driver failed to control the vehicle,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Saturday. “Several people were injured, who have already received the necessary assistance.”